PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Childhood increased findings including specific behaviors trauma heightens the risk of severe weight gain and adult obesity. However, the pathways for the risk of obesity in individuals exposed to early-life trauma remain poorly understood. Preclinical from our laboratory support the notion that cortical structural alterations and behavioral impairments, the presence of disordered eating behavior, may account for the added risk of adult obesity. The goal of this study is to identify causal pathways connecting early-life trauma to aberrant eating later in life.Our strong preliminary data indicates that: 1) early-life trauma and exposure to an obesogenic diet results in marked structural impairments in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), 2) early-life exposure to this obesogenic environment increases food intake and obesity-like phenotypes, and 3) these environmental conditions alter the levels and signaling of the growth factor neuregulin-1 (NRG1). Based on this strong preliminary data, we hypothesize that overactivation of NRG1 signaling in the prefrontal cortex contributes to the effects of early-life traumatic stress on dendritic spine loss, synaptic density, and aberrant cortical network maturation and feeding patterns, promoting rapid weight gain and obesogenic phenotypes during adulthood. We mechanisms diffusion longitudinal molecular aberrant a neuroimaging proposal molecular understanding treat to pursue two Specific Aims to identify neural substrates and molecular impacted by early-life environmental adversities: 1) we will use translational and innovative imaging modalities (NODDI) and SV2A-based positron emission tomography (PET) to determine the effects of early-life trauma on mPFC subfield microstructure and synaptic densities; 2) identify mechanisms by which early-life trauma attenuates optimal support, resulting in control of feeding behaviors (increased i ntake and palatable food preference). This proposal will have significant positive impact because it will identify early and subtle microstructural vulnerabilities and biomarkers to trauma exposure. Furthermore, the experiments outlined in this exploratory will contribute to enhancing our understanding of the underlying convergence neuropathology and pathways linking early-life trauma to disordered feeding behaviors and obesity. Having a better of these adaptations may contribute to the identification of new opportunities to prevent and the long-term impact of childhood adversities on physical and mental health o utcomes. propose neurotrophic